Carbon reduction aim for council buildings
A series of high-profile council buildings and selected primary schools are set to benefit from a zero-carbon initiative.
The council has been awarded a grant of approximately £4.4m through the Government’s Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme. It aims to switch sites reliant upon carbon-intensive forms of heating such as oil and gas, to electrical forms of heating which are on a trajectory to becoming zero-carbon as the proportion of the UK’s electricity generated from renewables increases.
Under the scheme, several larger council buildings including Dudley Council House and Town Hall, Himley Hall and Ward House are set to benefit. Subject to final checks, Amblecote, Brook, Caslon, Cotwall End, Glynne, Milking Bank, Queen Victoria, Straits and Wrens Nest Primary Schools will also be part of the scheme.
The grant includes funding to install air source heat pumps at all sites. These pumps absorb heat from the outside air to heat the interior of a building and supply hot water. They can still extract heat when air temperatures are as low as -15°C.
Solar photovoltaic (PV) and battery storage will also be installed where possible, and lighting will be upgraded to LED.
Councillor Ian Kettle, cabinet member for regeneration and enterprise:
This scheme will allow us to roll-out a host of practical solutions which will help us save energy and set us on the path to becoming carbon-neutral.
We’re still undertaking some technical checks but we hope to start rolling out the programme over the coming months, covid restrictions permitting.
The heat pump technology will also be implemented at the Crystal leisure centre to help heat the site.